


The Witch and the Widow

by Venommocity



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, Romance, Slow Burn, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:53:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28224183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venommocity/pseuds/Venommocity
Summary: Instead of walking free, Wanda Maximoff is placed in solitary confinement after the explosion in Lagos. Natasha Romanoff comes to set her free.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 23
Kudos: 133





	1. It Started With A Jacket

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm new to Ao3 but I'm excited to start writing. I haven't written creatively in about 4 years, but I'm hoping to start again with this story. This is a slow-burn romance between Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) and Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch). Hope you enjoy!
> 
> For extra context, this first chapter is based on a deleted scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron, where Wanda wears one of Nat's jackets during the battle. You can find this scene here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBZqBUHbWE0

_"Is that my jacket?"_

It was all she could think about during the battle. Wanda didn't know why she cared so much - maybe it was the look on Natasha's face, which she could've sworn held traces of disappointment. She must have been concerned about her first impressions with the original Avengers. 

But even still, she couldn't bring herself to return it as she sat alone in her new room. Couldn't bring herself to stop clutching onto the sleeves, hugging the leather tightly as if it was all she had. Her face was wet with tears as she thought about her brother, and for some reason, the tattered jacket was a source of comfort for her. She couldn't explain why.

She thought about everything that'd happened. If something had gone slightly different, would he still be here? Could she have saved him? She may have exhausted herself to the point of sleep from her desperate, pained sobs if she hadn't heard the knock at her door.

Wanda was barely able to turn around, but hastily wiped the tears from her face, as if it wasn't obvious she was a heartbroken wreck already.

"Come in," she rasped. Her voice was grainy, weak from crying, but the person on the other side of the door must have heard alright, because the door handle clicked and light entered the room for the first time in hours. 

"Hey." It was Natasha's voice. They hadn't known each other long, but Wanda recognized her voice almost instantly. Nat circled around the room until she was standing in front of the younger woman.

Wanda looked up at her. Her arms were wrapped tightly and protectively around her knees. She held Nat's jacket between her legs and her chest as she sat there, planted on the edge of the bed. 

Natasha pointed her head at the empty space next to Wanda. "Can I sit?"

Wanda drew her eyes away from Natasha's and nodded. She could barely feel when Natasha sat beside her - Nat was careful not to disturb Wanda too much.

Nat's brows furrowed and the corners of her lips cracked into a smile. "Still have my jacket?" 

Suddenly, Wanda felt very hyperaware of her surroundings, and the fact that Natasha was right next to her. Her eyes drifted rapidly between the jacket and random objects in the room.

"I'm- I'm sorry," Wanda's voice was a little clearer now. She looked to her left to quickly glance at Natasha, but averted her gaze just as quickly. "Steve gave it to me, and I- do you want it back?"

Nat chuckled. "Of course Rogers gave it to you. He's supposed to be an old-timer gentleman, not a scavenger screwing around in _my_ closet."

Wanda unraveled her body from itself, pulling away from the jacket and holding it out to Natasha. She was surprised when Natasha pushed her hands away. Their hands had only brushed for a second, but Wanda felt so comforted by her warmth.

"You keep it," Natasha smiled, holding her there for just a moment longer before finally retracting her hands and crossing them over her chest. "It looks better on you anyway."

At that, Wanda finally looked up at her again. "What?" She was surprised when she heard herself laugh, even if it was brief. A short moment of joy, but it was all she needed. She noticed Natasha's smile grow warmer, as if she looked satisfied.

"There we go," Nat muttered, mostly to herself. It was nice to see the pain in Wanda's eyes disappear for just a moment. Her arms tensed in the folded position she had them in. "I didn't come to get my jacket back, you know. I could hear you crying."

Wanda looked away again.

"It's not out of pity," Natasha continued. "You lose family every time there's a fight, at least in this job. I know what it's like. We... we _all_ know what it's like, and the truth is, it never gets easier. I know you're new to the team, but you're family now too. If you ever want to talk about it, we're all here to listen. I just want you to know you have that option."

Wanda definitely wasn't able to speak now. She could feel a familiar lump rising in her throat. "Thank you," she barely whispered, turning her head to look up at Natasha.

Nat smiled ever so slightly. "The guys would be there for you in a heartbeat too. I just thought, since you and I are the only girls on the team..." she trailed off, and Wanda nodded. She understood.

She let go of that sacred jacket to embrace the older woman in a hug. Natasha was... surprised, to say the least. She wasn't big on physical contact... but she didn't mind this. At all, actually. Wanda's tears dampened the cloth of Natasha's shirt, but neither of them really cared. 

Hesitantly, Wanda eventually let go, but she didn't want Natasha to leave the room. It was the first time she felt somewhat at peace - with Natasha there in the room with her. So she tried to keep up the conversation. "Steve said you would help train me," only her eyes turned to look at Natasha's, and this time, Nat was the one to look away.

"Yeah," Natasha said, focusing on the closed blinds of Wanda's window. "We were gonna let you have a minute first. You know... to recover. You don't have to think about that right now."

"No, I-" Wanda sniffed, wiping under her eyes. "I think it would be a good distraction. I think it could help me."

Nat looked at her from the side, reading Wanda's eyes for emotion. Finally, she nodded. "Alright. We can start next week." 

"Next week," Wanda reaffirmed. 

Natasha stood and quietly paced to the door. She held her gaze on Wanda's back for a moment, maybe a moment too long. Something about her was... different. Intriguing. 

_Special._ She couldn't quite find the right word for it, but that one felt right for now. 

When Wanda heard the door close, she grasped onto Natasha's jacket again, longing for her brother, weeping for her loss. But she was soothed by Natasha's presence, in the jacket that she held so closely to her heart. 

Maybe she'd found her cure. 

She slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading if you made it this far :) I plan to add a few more chapters to this story (hopefully soon). I'll aim to have the next few parts completed before Christmas. Speaking of, happy holidays! Some extra notes:
> 
> \- Wanda is about 18 or 19 here, since this is right after Ultron. Nat is in her late 20s.  
> \- In this story, Wanda has light blue eyes. I couldn't really find an accurate source of her eye color (different wiki pages said blue, some green, some brown), and even after watching clips from the movies it seems like her eye color "changes" a lot anyway. I know her actress irl has greenish eyes, but I thought it'd be more interesting if Wanda and Nat had different eye colors in this story since Nat's eyes are already green.  
> \- In case you missed the tag, this is a slow-burn romance between Nat and Wanda. But I promise the romance-y stuff will come soon enough. For now there's a lot of obvious tension between them (I hope), especially with their eye contact.  
> \- Obviously a lot of canonical things will be different. There's no Bruce/Nat in this story, and no Wanda/Vision. Although Bruce and Vision both exist, they don't play the same roles in this story as they do in the movies. That means a lot of future events will have different outcomes.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, I appreciate the interest!


	2. Training From Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda begins training with Natasha (and, occasionally, Steve). Even with her mind-stone abilities giving her a huge advantage, she's not as good as she thinks she is. Nat helps her polish and refine her skill.

Wanda arrived at the training quarters an hour early, anxious to begin. In all honesty, she had no doubt that she'd be able to wipe them all out within seconds, but "training" would be a good distraction for her anyway.

She made sure to look presentable, showering ahead of time and spritzing on a hint of a vanilla perfume she'd found in her bathroom cabinet. As she waited, she sat on a bench near the wall, practicing her "magic" on a coin she'd found on the ground, spinning it continuously in the air. She tried not to think about Pietro. All of this was meant to distract her from the memory of him.

Instead, she thought of Natasha. How she'd slipped into her room and offered her friendship, her support. She wished she didn't have to stay alone in that room every night, as fancy as it was. Even if it was better than her room in Sokovia. She wished-

"Someone's early." That _voice._ The one she always recognized. She heard Natasha's voice before she heard the clicks of her walking, and looked up to see her entering the room. 

"Oh," for a moment, Wanda didn't exactly know what to say. "Yeah. I... I thought I'd come early. Just in case."

"You can sleep in tomorrow," Natasha set her bags down, then walked closer until she was in front of Wanda, arms crossed. She let out a quick breath. "You ready?"

Wanda nodded, leaving the coin on the bench as she stood. "What about Steve? Is he-"

"He'll be here in a sec. You and I have to set up first." Natasha paused to glance down Wanda's body, and Wanda instantly felt jittery. "Nice jacket," Nat finally spoke, a half-grin spread smugly across her face. Wanda smiled. 

When Steve arrived, he greeted both of them, then stood by the side of the makeshift "arena" Nat and Wanda had put together using exercise mats. Natasha walked to one end of the ring, looking down at her wristband and fidgeting around with the programming. 

"Wanda," Steve said, arms crossed as he looked at her. "I want you to give everything you have. This round's a free for all - we want to see what you can do."

Wanda glanced between Steve and Natasha. She didn't want to hurt either of them. "But-"

"Don't hold back, Wanda. We all get a little roughed up during training. Don't worry about Nat, she'll be fine," Steve reassured. He gave her a nod, a signal to start when she was ready. 

Wanda saw Natasha standing still, crouched slightly, just a few feet ahead of her. Her brows furrowed worriedly, and she wondered if it really made sense to test the maximum extent of her power on Natasha. Maybe Thor would've been a safer option... but she took her stance at her side of the ring, and prepared to fire anyway. 

She felt awkward just standing there, suddenly uncomfortable with Natasha looking at her as she waited for Wanda's first move. But she gathered the smallest bit of courage she had in that moment, and she fired. 

Natasha easily dodged, as expected. It was a weak shot, and Wanda knew it. So she tried again, and again, and every time Natasha dodged with ease, closing the distance between them each time Wanda fired. She began to feel frustrated, and as a result her shots became more sporadic. Some didn't even come anywhere close to hitting Natasha. 

Nat was just a step away from her now, but Wanda didn't have enough time to react. In a swift movement - impossibly fast - Natasha had Wanda's arms behind her, and Wanda could feel the surge of pain traveling up her arms as they bent the wrong way. She winced, staring right at Natasha who was so close to her now, and found it difficult to believe that this same person had comforted her pain just a week earlier.

Natasha took Wanda's visual cue and swiped underneath her legs. Wanda felt her back hit the cold ground, and instinctively her back arched to stretch out the pain. She sucked in a sharp, desperate breath. 

By the time her vision had settled, she saw Natasha's face just inches from her own. She could feel Natasha's even breaths on her nose, and she couldn't seem to look away from those piercing, sea green eyes. 

"Vanilla," Nat said, and Wanda felt her heartbeat skyrocket. Of course she was close enough to smell the perfume. "I like it." Nat smiled, more teasingly than anything. 

Natasha stood up with ease, extending her hand to help Wanda up. She accepted, and barely managed to pull herself to her feet, trying to calm her heartbeat with slow breaths. 

"Two things," Natasha said as she brushed some dust off of her sleeves. Wanda watched her. "You're too emotional when you fight. I noticed that in Sokovia, too. It distracts you too much. You can't let yourself get frustrated when something doesn't go your way."

Wanda didn't know what to say. She knew what she was signing up for, but she still felt so uncomfortable with Natasha's criticism. Natasha seemed to notice her unease.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll work with it," Nat nodded once, offering a small smile. "I was emotional too, when I first started. I lost a lot of fights because of it. Big guy over here," she turned her head to look at Steve, "probably the most emotional fighter we've got," she scoffed.'' Steve didn't deny it, laughing quietly instead.

"And the second thing?" Wanda asked, searching Natasha's eyes for an answer.

"The second's a little easier to fix," Nat drew closer to her. "You really love offense, but there's not enough defense in your technique." She thought for a moment. "...None, actually. It's why I was able to get so close to you so fast. That's easier to work with, though."

Wanda nodded, and Steve shuffled in the back. 

"Here," Nat said as she placed her hands on Wanda's right arm. Wanda could feel herself stiffen, but she tried her best not to show it. Nat's unwavering stare made it so much harder. "Hold your hands like this. Spread your legs, shoulder-width apart." Wanda settled into the new stance, completely aware of each of Natasha's fingers on her arm. "If anyone gets this close to you," Nat continued, "it'll be harder to knock you down so fast. You're a little sturdier like this, so it'll give you more time to react." 

Wanda swallowed. "Right, okay," she managed to say, hoping the shakiness of her voice wasn't too obvious.

"I saw you use your power to stop a train," Steve spoke up for the first time in a while. Wanda and Nat turned their heads to look at him. Natasha still hadn't let go of Wanda's arm. "But today you were only firing blasts. Don't be afraid to use it like you did on the train. You can stop an opponent's hands from hitting you, or prevent them from ever getting too close."

After hours, training was over. It'd felt like months, but it was only Wanda's first day.

"You did good, Wanda," she heard Natasha say from across the gym. She felt herself smile at Natasha's praise.

She quickly made her way over to Natasha, knowing she was being impulsive. But she couldn't help herself. "Natasha, wait, I wanted to-"

"Nat is fine," Natasha smiled. Once Wanda caught her breath, she smiled too.

"Nat," she began. "I never apologized, and I thought I would start doing something right today." 

Natasha looked genuinely confused. Her head was tilted just slightly. "Apologize for what?"

"I saw," Wanda looked down, no longer able to hold her gaze. "I saw in your head, when I-"

"Wanda," Nat interrupted, and when Wanda looked up, she could feel Nat's eyes burning into her skull. "We were on different sides then. You don't have to apologize." The hard expression dropped as her lips curled into a smile. "Just, maybe don't do it again. We like our privacy around here."

Wanda couldn't help but smile too, as if it was contagious. "Yes. I mean- of course. I won't. I haven't."

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay? If you need anything, you know my room's just across yours. Let me know." And she was gone. 

Wanda felt her smile growing, and she couldn't stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the next chapter!
> 
> I'm not sure if this is exactly my best work, but I hope I got somewhat of a point across. Wanda, at least in this story, feels very drawn to Nat, but she can't exactly pinpoint why that is. Nat's kind of oblivious to all of it (for now). Also, in case you couldn't tell, most of this story is written from Wanda's perspective, but I'll occasionally give a little insight into what Nat's thinking.
> 
> Hoping to have chapter 3 completed really soon. It'll be Wanda's first real mission (Lagos), which happens to go terribly wrong. I think you'll like it heh.
> 
> Thank you so much for the love on chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed this one too :)


	3. Tragedy at Lagos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda's first mission at Lagos goes horribly wrong, and again she has to deal with the guilt that comes with death. Natasha is there to support her, but Wanda's not sure if that's enough this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place about a year after chapter 2. Wanda has come far in her training and has a better grasp on controlling her powers, but she still has a long way to go. Wanda's friendship with Nat has also grown throughout the course of the year. They're a lot closer now than they were a year ago. Wanda often seeks shelter in the comfort of Natasha's presence, and Nat notices that she's more emotionally open and vulnerable when she's with Wanda. 
> 
> The first part of this chapter takes place in Lagos, where Steve, Sam, Wanda, and Natasha battle it out against Crossbones. He sets off a bomb to kill Steve (and himself), but Wanda is able to contain the blast before it kills everyone on the ground.

She saw the bomb before Steve did.

In a split second, Wanda had to make a decision. She withheld the blast in her own grasp, with her own will, and it _hurt._ She could feel the weight pushing against her arms, urging her to let go, to relieve the burning she felt in her blood.

But she couldn't. If she let go, Steve would die. She would die. Everyone there would die. _Nat would die._

God, it hurt so badly. She could feel it crushing her bones, and she knew she wasn't ready for anything like this - the energy of the blast was pulsating so rapidly, and she knew she wouldn't be able to contain it for much longer. 

Her only solution was up. Up to get it away from them, from _everyone._ The pain surged through her body so strongly, and she'd already held it for so long. She couldn't help letting go.

A wave of exhaustion flooded through her veins, and she was forced to the ground. She heard nothing but ringing, smelled nothing but ash. Her eyes were drawn upward.

 _It's my fault._ It was all she could think as she saw the spreading fire, heard the mourning screams. She had just... she had just _killed_ people, innocent people. Mothers, fathers, children - _gone._ Because of _her._

Wanda laid in bed and couldn't even bring herself to cry. All of her energy had been spent on the explosion, and now she had nothing left to give. 

"Wanda." It was Natasha's voice. She knew instantly. Wanda couldn't respond. She barely even moved, curled up on the edge of the mattress, breathing so slowly that Nat had to make sure she was even breathing at all.

Natasha sat beside her so that she could see her face. Wanda's eyes were wide open, stained red. 

"It's my fault." Wanda spoke for the first time in hours. Her voice was coarse.

"Don't do that to yourself." 

"It's true. I know it, you know it." Wanda moved her finger along the bedsheets, only stopping when her hand was under her pillow.

"Wanda, everyone on the ground level would've died if you weren't there. Steve would've died. There's no one in the world who could've stopped that."

Wanda finally looked up at her, searching her eyes, wishing it was as easy as Natasha made it seem. "The news made it seem like-"

"Don't watch the news. They weren't even there, but they _always_ paint it out to be what it isn't. And they don't know you." Nat took in a long breath. "Not like I do."

Wanda's face was pained as she continued to search Nat's eyes, wishing she could understand her own emotions. She felt overwhelmed, so she buried her face in her pillow, forcing herself to look away from those penetrating green eyes. 

"People die," Nat's voice was just above a whisper. "Every time, and we can't change that. More people would've died today if you hadn't been there." 

Both of them were silent. Wanda's face was still tucked away, out of sight. But when she felt Nat shifting, she turned. "Nat, wait," Wanda breathed, reaching out for her, but Nat was already halfway to the door. She turned to look at Wanda, her expression calm but curious. Wanda took in a deep breath. "Please... please stay with me. I can't be alone." She watched as the expression on Natasha's face became somber, understanding.

Without speaking a word, Nat tucked herself under the covers beside Wanda. She was facing the other way, but Wanda felt safe there with her. She inched closer just slightly, until she was close enough to smell the strawberry in Natasha's hair. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, so she waited quietly, so conscious of the warmth of Natasha's body right beside her. She watched her there for minutes until Natasha's breathing became even, and Wanda assumed she was asleep. 

Natasha suddenly turned around, and Wanda took in a sharp breath. Nat's eyes were open. Now they were looking right at each other, faces so close that they could feel each other's breath. Wanda always felt like Nat's eyes were piercing into her, ready to tear her in half. They were intense, wild... but they were comforting. The room was dark, and the moon had already made its way in the sky, and they just watched each other.

"Close your eyes," Nat whispered, blinking for the first time. "Try to sleep. You need it." Her voice was so quiet.

Wanda looked at her for a while, a long while, until she finally decided to comply. Her eyes closed. She felt anxious now that she couldn't see Nat next to her, and even though she could hear her breathing, she was afraid Natasha might just... leave. 

She took in another sharp breath when Natasha shuffled closer, until her head was resting on Wanda's shoulder. Wanda felt like she would melt.

"It's not your fault," Natasha whispered once more. Wanda could feel the way Nat's jaw moved on her shoulder, so carefully.

She slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading Chapter 3! :)
> 
> In parallel to Chapter 1, Wanda was able to sleep again thanks to Nat. Since this chapter started off kinda rough, I thought it would be nice to end it a little softer. This chapter was a bit on the shorter side, but I still think it's a super important part of their relationship. For now, they both still think of each other as friends. Wanda's not really sure how she feels, and that's probably because she's emotionally drained all the time. All she knows is that Nat's presence makes her feel so much better. Nat is a little more closed off, but she cares a lot about Wanda as you can probably tell. 
> 
> Thanks again! Hope you enjoyed this one. Hoping to post Chapter 4 soon!


	4. Mornings That Could've Gone Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda finally feels a bit of relief after a restful night, but an incident at breakfast changes everything.

When Wanda woke the next morning, she winced when she saw Natasha's face so close to her own, almost forgetting that she'd stayed the night. 

But then she realized. She... really stayed. 

Wanda couldn't remember a time she'd slept this well. Maybe she never had. 

As her eyes adjusted to the oncoming sunlight, she noticed their arms were entangled. She took in a quick breath, her heartbeat racing as she consciously felt the warmth of Natasha's fingers on her skin. She looked down at their hands, their arms, their bodies... so closely pressed together. Wanda felt like her heart would burst. She never wanted to leave.

Her breathing began to settle as she focused on the details of Nat's face. How peaceful she looked when she slept, her lips parted slightly. The curve of her nose, the small freckles on her cheek that she'd never noticed before, the steady rise and fall of her chest. Even though her heart rate was at bay now, she could feel it burning, pumping just enough blood to keep her alive to ensure she'd savor this moment. The stillness of the room made it all the more excruciating.

She felt her nerves jump when Natasha shifted, her arms brushing against Wanda's in the process. But still, she slept. 

The sound of an alarm made Wanda's entire body stiffen, and she cursed it for ruining the moment. When she saw Natasha's movement, her first instinct was to close her eyes. Her heart ached the moment Natasha's fingers pulled away from her.

Wanda lifted her hand, using her powers to shut off the alarm. She could feel Nat stretching beside her, but she didn't dare open her eyes.

"Sorry. That was way louder than I thought it'd be," Natasha's voice was coarse from sleep.

When Wanda opened her eyes, Nat was staring directly at her. She wished she could recoil into her own skin, but at the same time, she found it so hard to look away.

"Did you sleep?" Natasha asked her, a hint of concern in her voice. 

Wanda swallowed. "Yeah, I- I did." 

"Good. Finally." Nat pulled herself out of bed with a smile, tilting her head to rub at the back of her neck. Wanda watched her. "I can make breakfast if you want to shower," Nat continued. "Steve and Sam will probably be up already if you want to wait with them."

The corners of Wanda's lips lifted, but not quite in a smile. "Okay. I'll meet you later." She rubbed the tired out of her eyes, then headed to her bathroom for a shower.

Nat made scrambled eggs. Overcooked, but Wanda loved them. Sam was there at the table with them, but Steve must not have been awake yet. 

"It's a good thing culinary school never saw a piece of you," Sam scoffed. Wanda couldn't help but smile, hiding her laugh behind her coffee mug. 

"You're more than welcome to take over," Nat turned to look at them, dropping the spatula beside the stove. Based on Nat's tone, Wanda assumed she didn't take Sam's comment too personally.

No one spoke about Lagos, and Wanda was grateful for it. When her mind wasn't occupied by the thought of Natasha, she thought of the dead. The lives that were gone because of her. She wouldn't ever forget what she'd done, even if it was an accident. But now, here with Natasha and Sam at breakfast, she didn't feel as miserable. Allowing herself to laugh felt... relieving. She was happy here. 

A sudden pain in the back of her neck stopped her from taking another sip of coffee. She inhaled sharply, surprised, and her entire body tensed as she felt the stinging pain travel through her veins, her lungs - straight to her heart, until she found it so hard to breathe that she was gasping for just the smallest breath. She desperately clawed at the back of her neck to remove whatever had caused the surge of pain. She could hear Nat's confused shouting, Sam's yelling, and the voice of maybe three other men that she didn't recognize. She cried out in pain, falling to the floor as the voltage only grew stronger.

She could only faintly hear the angered cries from Natasha, her demands to know what was happening. Again Wanda reached for the back of her neck, but her whole body was pulsing and shaking and she could barely even move her fingers. She could feel her vision fading away, but she fought to keep her eyes open. 

" _Tell me_ who made the call," she could hear Natasha shout.

Her hands gripped the cold floor until all she could see was black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading Chapter 4!
> 
> I'm not sure if I really like this one. I think it might be too short. Went through a few rewrites and this is what I ended up with, but I hope it's alright as a piece of the bigger story. Thanks anyway if you read! I'm excited to write Chapter 5. Hopefully I'll have that finished later tonight, or early tomorrow.


	5. Confinement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda must face real consequences once she is classified as a weapon of mass destruction. She is placed under high-surveillance solitary confinement after the "crimes" she commits against citizens of Lagos. Natasha comes to set her free.

Wanda woke in a grey cell. Alone.

Instantly, she could feel her heartbeat skyrocketing. She couldn't see any doors, any windows, just grey cement surrounding her on every side. There was no bed. No bathroom. Nothing in the room except herself.

She tried pulling the cement apart with her powers, a ball of red glowing bright between her fingers as she tried to undo the foundation in the walls.

"That's not gonna work."

The voice came from above, and it took her a few moments to recognize it as Tony's. She looked at the ceiling, searching for a speaker, a camera, _anything._ Suddenly, the wall to her left faded into clear glass, and she could see Tony standing on the other side.

"Tony," she tried so hard to keep the sobs from coming out. "What-"

"Don't take this personally, Wanda," he sighed. He seemed more annoyed than anything, as if he was obligated to be there. "Look, everyone's calling you a WMD now." His lips pursed together, and after a moment he shrugged in defeat. "What am I supposed to do about that?"

"It was an accident," she barely even whispered, looking away from him. Tony must have heard, because he breathed out and thought for a moment.

"I don't know what you want me to do, Wanda. This isn't a punishment. We're _protecting_ you."

At that, she looked up. "Protecting _me?_ " She let out a small laugh, but it was bitter. "You're locking me in a room. You're protecting yourself from what you _think_ I am. What did you want me to do?" She stepped closer to the glass. "Was I supposed to let Steve die?" She could feel the tears welling in her eyes.

"You were never supposed to be there. None of you were."

She turned away from the glass, using her sleeves to wipe away the tears that fell down her cheeks. She would never be able to give those lives back.

"Wanda, it's-" Tony paused, inhaling. "It's not a punishment," he repeated. "We have to keep you in here until we figure something out."

"I wouldn't hurt anyone," she turned only her head to look at him.

His lips grew tight on his face again. "But you did."

Wanda's lips parted as she looked away, breathing in a staggered breath. She couldn't help the pained sobs that escaped her throat. 

Time. That was all she had in there. Time to think. She scratched at the walls, marking the days, but she wasn't even sure if she had been counting correctly. She had no sense of day and night, only that there was time. 

She had decided she wouldn't fight. Every time her food was delivered, every time she was escorted to a shower, even when she was handcuffed and chained. She wouldn't be the monster they thought she was.

Every day she cried, thinking about Lagos, about her brother, her parents. Natasha. She would lie on the floor until she'd exhausted herself from hours of weeping. All she could do was think. Tony never came back after his first visit, at least as far as she knew, and no one else would respond to her when she spoke. So she would sleep. She would wake. She would lie on that cold, hard floor, and she would cry until she felt empty. She would sleep. She would wake. And on it went for weeks.

She had stopped eating as frequently, and would often return meals unfinished. It was the same routine, growing increasingly worse... until the day she heard her voice.

"Wanda?"

She sat up instantly. It was Natasha's voice. She looked to each wall, hoping one would fade into glass as it once had, except with Natasha on the other side. 

"Nat?" She stood up now, spinning as she continuously examined each wall. A minute passed. Two. She thought she might be hallucinating, but then she heard the rush of wind, felt it hit her legs as one of the walls began to rise. Before it had fully lifted, Natasha ducked underneath and walked towards her quickly.

Wanda was stunned when she was embraced in a hug, her arms hanging at her sides. But she was so, so relieved. She didn't realize how much it burned her when Nat was away until she had her here again, close to her, _holding_ her. 

Nat pulled her face away to look into Wanda's eyes, scanning her face. "Jesus, Wanda, what did they do to you?" Her hands cupped Wanda's sides, and Wanda felt like she would burst. Her focus was tuned on the small movements of Nat's fingers against her ribs. "We have to get you some food," Natasha finally continued, her voice a concerned, quiet mumble. She looked at Wanda's stomach, her brows furrowed worriedly.

Wanda's arms finally lifted from her sides to hold onto the base of Natasha's arms, close to her elbows. It was the first time she'd really moved since standing up. Natasha looked up at her again, and she was met with the pain in Wanda's eyes. That horrible pain she wished she could take away. 

Wanda found comfort in Natasha's eyes. Eventually, Nat's hands dropped from Wanda's ribs to hold onto her arms. They held each other there, quietly, tightly, and Wanda wished Nat would never let go. 

Natasha had never really noticed the iciness of Wanda's eyes before. The way they were so gentle, so soft, but so broken. Nat leaned her head against Wanda's, wishing she could take away the hurt in Wanda's eyes and keep it to herself. 

Wanda took in a shaky breath. They had never broken eye contact, even as their faces were so close. Wanda had never wanted anyone more.

Her eyes shut as she closed the small distance between them, and she felt Natasha's lips brush against her own. Wanda was the taller one, and as she leaned into the kiss, she realized what she was doing. 

Nat was the one to pull away first, slowly, confused. The longing in Wanda's eyes had become so obvious to her now when Wanda had opened them again. 

Wanda breathed out, her eyes traveling downwards to look at the lips she had just tasted. She felt like, at any moment, she would cry. From relief, or exhaustion, or love.

"Let's get you home," Natasha spoke first. Wanda could feel each breath on her lips. Wishing they could embrace like that again. As Nat extended an arm around Wanda's shoulder, Wanda could feel tears running silently down her cheeks. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *WMD means "weapon of mass destruction." Usually refers to nuclear/atomic bombs
> 
> Their first kiss! Wanda has a better grasp on her emotions now. At this point I think it's safe to say she knows how she feels about Nat. Nat, though, she's still pretty confused. If anything she sees it as a "thank you for saving me" kiss and doesn't read too deep into it, but she also swears she can see more meaning in Wanda's eyes than she'd like to admit.
> 
> Nat had to pull a lot of strings to get Wanda out of there, and it took a long time. Wanda was probably in there for several weeks, maybe a month or two, even.
> 
> Thanks for reading Chapter 5!


	6. The Burn of Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda and Natasha return to Avengers Headquarters after Wanda's time in containment. Again she seeks comfort in Natasha, and has time to think about that kiss...

It was dark when they made it back to headquarters. Wanda had never really seen it at night, at least not from the outside, but maybe it only felt different because they were going in from the back. Natasha held tightly onto Wanda's arm, their bodies pressed together as they walked quickly through the building. 

By the time they made it to Wanda's room, it felt foreign to her. She couldn't imagine calling this place "home" anymore. The white walls of her room, the plainness of the blinds that covered her windows. It all felt so... distant. She didn't know how many others had agreed with Tony's decision, and that made it all so much worse. 

She hadn't realized that Nat was still holding her arm until she'd let go, hands dropping quietly to her sides. She remembered what'd happened just hours earlier. Their faces close, their breaths mingling, the way Nat's lips felt against her own.

"Do you want me to stay?" Natasha broke the silence first. Wanda looked up at her, but her eyes instantly dropped down to Natasha's lips. Before it became too obvious, she looked at the floor. She was surprised that Nat had asked her, but she was grateful for it.

"Yes," Wanda mumbled, looking up at her again. 

Natasha took in a breath. "Alright. Let me change first, okay? I'll be back in a minute."

Wanda watched her go. She felt everything in her body burn the moment the door shut, Nat disappearing behind it. 

To distract herself, she walked to her bathroom, looking at her face in the mirror for the first time in months. She could see the dark circles under her eyes, the tangles in her hair, and the paleness of her skin. She turned away to turn on the shower, and when she stepped inside, she stood silently, letting the water run down her body. She tried not to cry, tried not to let the pain seep through. But she did cry. She washed her hair, ridding herself of the smell of Tony's prison, and she scrubbed her body until her skin was red. 

But she also thought of Natasha. Not because she was in the shower, but because it slowed her weeping. Still, she was frantic. She'd been alone for so long and she was afraid Natasha wouldn't be there again, waiting for her once she finished. But Wanda knew she would be back again tonight, because she'd promised, and Nat had never let her down before. As the water ran down her back, she realized she didn't need a room or a building or a _place_ to call home. She just needed Natasha.

Wanda was already in bed, watching the news to see if they were still talking about her. To see if their perspective on her had changed, if the weeks she'd spent in a cell had been worth it. She didn't hear Natasha come in until the television shut off with a click.

She turned her head, watching Natasha set down the remote on top of a drawer. "Stop watching the news," Nat said. She walked around the bed until she was next to Wanda, sitting down beside her. "I don't want to make you talk about it," Nat breathed out. "But if you _do,_ " her arms crossed slowly, "you know I'm here, right?"

Wanda couldn't look at her yet. She knew she'd be lost in Natasha's eyes if she did. "I know," she whispered. Her voice was so quiet that she was shocked Nat could hear. She could feel every time Natasha took a breath. 

"Come here," Natasha said, reaching for Wanda's shoulders, fingers brushing against her skin, and Wanda instantly melted into her arms. She buried her face in Nat's shoulder and felt the weight of Nat's chin on top of her head. Wanda's arms were trapped between their bodies, and she could hear the steady beat of Natasha's heart. 

Nat held her there for a while, and didn't pull away until several minutes had passed. If she hadn't, Wanda probably would've fallen asleep like that. 

"Let me see your face," Nat said, and Wanda held her hands up in front of her chest instinctively.

"What? Why?" It wasn't that she didn't trust Nat. It wasn't that at all. She even _wanted_ her to be close again, but she couldn't help feeling nervous.

Nat grabbed her wrists. It was a gentle hold, and Wanda found herself staring at Natasha's fingers, examining the way they moved so tenderly across her skin.

"Hey." She could feel Nat looking at her. "It's just me." She brushed her thumb across Wanda's hand, and Wanda breathed out with a nod.

Nat cupped the base of Wanda's jaw with each hand. There was nothing Wanda could look at other than Nat's face, so close to hers again. So she allowed herself to watch Nat's eyes, studying their complexity and memorizing the patterns of each iris. Nat twisted Wanda's head slightly, carefully, to catch every angle, then bit her bottom lip. Wanda's gaze drifted down to watch as she chewed on it nervously. Nat placed her thumb on Wanda's cheekbone, and traced her finger slowly across Wanda's skin until it reached her ear. 

"You have a bruise," Nat said, finally. Wanda didn't realize how fast her heart had been beating, so hard against her chest that she was afraid Nat would hear. One of Natasha's hands trailed down to Wanda's collarbone, and she ran her finger along it. "Here too." Her brows were knitted with worry.

Wanda let herself look at Natasha's fingers. All of a sudden, she felt like she couldn't breathe. "It doesn't hurt," she managed to say, pulling her hand up to clasp Natasha's, over her chest.

"Did they hit you?" 

Wanda looked up at her. Nat's eyes had already been on hers. "No," she said, and Natasha let out a breath that Wanda hadn't noticed she was holding. "I think it's just," Wanda gazed down at her arms, noticing small bruises near her elbows. "I wasn't eating," she continued. "I think my body was just weak."

Nat shifted, pulling her hands away from Wanda. Wanda immediately felt cold, and goosebumps began to form on her bare skin. 

"Are you hungry now?" Again, Nat bit her lip. Wanda wished she didn't, because it made her heart race. She forced herself to look into Natasha's eyes.

"No, I'm just..." She thought for a moment. "I'm really tired."

"Yeah, I thought so," Nat stood up, brushing her shirt down to clear the wrinkles. She walked to the other side of the bed, but paused. "If you want me to sleep on the chair, I'd be happy to. Whatever makes you most comfortable."

Wanda felt the blood rush to her cheeks. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out for a while. "I would feel better if you were closer," she admitted. 

Nat held back a smile, breathing out quietly instead as she slipped into bed. She pulled the heavy blanket over her arms, then rested her head on the pillow. She was facing Wanda this time, unlike the last time. 

With the luminance of red energy, Wanda turned the lamp lights off. Her eyes were closed as she adjusted her position, laying down completely. Her hands were wrapped over her stomach and she felt herself breathing. She could feel Natasha beside her, but she yearned to have her closer. Like they were just seconds ago, faces so close that they could see the fine details on each other's faces. She wished she could feel the rise and fall of Natasha's chest against her own, feel Natasha's fingers move against her own. She wanted so desperately to look into Nat's mind, to see what she was thinking and if... and if she felt the same. But she'd promised Natasha her privacy, so she wouldn't look, even if it burned her. 

She felt the rate of her breathing increase as she thought of the kiss, and she could still feel the sensation of Nat's lips on her own. Their noses brushing together, Nat leaning in when Wanda did, even if she had pulled away after. It'd felt like their bodies were designed for each other, the way they fit together so easily, so perfectly. With their faces aligned, arms held closely together. She longed for that feeling again. 

Wanda took in a quick breath when she felt something touch her hand, and opened her eyes to see Natasha lacing her fingers with her own. 

"You're breathing really fast," Nat said, just above a whisper. Wanda could hear the soft hum of her voice, but it was still so soft. When Wanda looked at her, Nat was looking down at their hands. She suspected her heart rate would only go up with Natasha's touch, and it did. It quickened until she thought she would explode, looking into Nat's eyes with the small amount of moonlight that guided her sight. She tried to focus on the warmth of Natasha's hand, the way her thumb brushed against Wanda's skin to comfort her. 

"I'm sorry," Wanda finally whispered back, looking away. She focused instead on the cloth of the bedsheets, what little she could see. 

Nat lifted her head, using her other hand to hold the back of Wanda's head, fingers running through Wanda's hair. She looked at Wanda for a moment, who couldn't bring herself to look back, then leaned in and kissed Wanda's forehead. Quietly, gently. Wanda's eyes closed and she squeezed Natasha's hand. 

"Don't apologize" Nat said, still close to Wanda's face. 

Wanda adjusted herself so that they were at eye level. She stayed quiet, but her heart did not. She thought surely it would exhaust itself soon. 

Nat watched her too for a while, but then she shifted, and Wanda could swear she felt her heart stop for a moment when Nat wrapped herself around Wanda. Her head was below Wanda's, resting on her shoulder, and her arms were wrapped around Wanda's body, holding the base of her stomach and her back. Their legs were intertwined. Nat occasionally shifted the position of her head, and Wanda realized it was to monitor her heart rate. 

"Is that better?" Nat asked. Wanda felt herself smile, but there was so much pain in her heart. Did Nat know what she was doing to her? She wished so desperately to peak and see what Nat was thinking. So she could just _know._

"Yes," Wanda confessed. As she got over the butterflies, she realized she felt... better. Safer. She took in the smell of Natasha's hair, and eventually her breathing leveled out as she laid there in Nat's arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas! And thank you for reading Chapter 6 :)
> 
> Not sure if you noticed but I changed the total amount of chapters from 6 to 8. I didn't think I would wrap up the story I wanted to tell in this chapter alone. I still feel like I have a few ideas left for these two! 8 might not be the final amount either. Definitely subject to change. 
> 
> Sorry for the delay on this next part by the way! I went through a few rewrites and was also distracted by the holidays. I've been trying my best to keep their dialogue as in-character as possible with Wanda's shorter responses (her uncertainty) and Nat's general confidence. I hope it all comes through. It's a little hard since I haven't watched the movies in a while, but I hope I'm doing alright. Lots of tension in this chapter! 
> 
> Thanks again for reading, hope you liked this one!


	7. Product of Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even with Natasha right beside her, Wanda can't sleep. In the middle of the night, she steps outside to catch some fresh air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is taking place the same night as the previous chapter, just a little later.

Wanda had barely slept for fifteen minutes before she woke again. She couldn't understand why - Nat had been her remedy whenever she'd felt like this. Why wasn't it working now?

They were still holding onto each other, at least somewhat. Their hands were still entwined, and their bodies were touching. But Wanda could feel that familiar burn in her chest, that longing ache that she couldn't quite understand yet. She turned to look at Natasha, who seemed to be fast asleep. She looked so peaceful when she slept, and Wanda was completely entranced by her beauty. She wished she could reach out to touch her skin, and felt grateful that she already had Nat's hand in her own.

She didn't mean to be so restless, but she couldn't help her constant shuffling. She turned her head away from Nat, then titled her body, but that made her more uncomfortable. She shifted the position of her legs, and she rearranged herself, but that didn't help either. So she turned around again, and Nat's eyes were open, staring at her like an owl. She took in a sharp breath. Nat's arms moved downwards as she stretched, just slightly, but she never let go of Wanda's hand.

"What happened?" Neither of them had taken their eyes off each other, but Wanda looked away when Nat spoke. 

"I don't know," Wanda whispered, apologetically. She hadn't meant to wake Natasha up, but she supposed it was inevitable with the amount of times she'd shifted around.

"Are you thinking about the isolation?" Nat suggested, her voice quiet. 

"No," Wanda swallowed. She kept her voice quiet, too. "It's not that. I feel a lot better now that you're here."

"Then what is it?"

Moments passed, and Wanda finally looked at Nat again. "...I don't know," she admitted, letting out a slow breath. She turned her body around again, taking Nat's hand with her, thinking. She'd always been able to sleep when Nat was with her, but this time, she didn't even know what the problem was. It was frustrating.

"Wanda," Nat said, still quiet. Goosebumps traveled up Wanda's body at the sound of her name. Hesitantly, Wanda turned her face to look at her. When Nat had Wanda's eyes on her, she continued. "Is it the kiss?"

Wanda felt like her heart would cry out, and she regretted turning to face her now. Her face was hot, and she was glad the moonlight was dim so Nat couldn't see. "Maybe," she answered, trying not to let her voice shake. "I don't know." And it was the truth. She didn't know.

Nat didn't speak, giving Wanda a moment to think. Nat's eyes stayed on her, steady, and she found it so hard to breathe. Even without light she could see the light green of Nat's irises, and every moment that passed made her heart throb more. She turned onto her back, forcing herself to look away from Nat's eyes and staring instead at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath. Nat brushed her fingers against Wanda's, and she suddenly realized how unbearable it was to be so close to her. To be there with her, but not completely. Not in the way she wanted to.

With a deep inhale, Wanda rolled out of bed, breathing heavily as she grabbed a hoodie that she'd left on her desk. Nat didn't say a word, and she was grateful, because she didn't know what she'd do if Nat spoke to her. Wanda pulled the sleeves on over her head, burying her face under the hood, then slid her door open and walked out onto the balcony.

The wind was cold on her skin, and she shivered against it. But the air was fresh, and that was all she needed. She stared ahead at the trees as she hung her arms over the railing, trying her best not to let herself cry. If anything, she felt overwhelmed. By the realization that struck her, Nat in her bed, their skin always touching. She breathed out, slowly, trying to calm herself. 

She knew she couldn't deny it anymore, because now she _knew_ what she felt, and that scared her more. She couldn't ruin what she already had with Natasha, and she couldn't know if Nat felt even remotely the same about her.

She heard the door slide open and her eyebrows lifted worriedly, lips pressed together tightly. Everything hurt - her arms, her legs, her head, and especially her heart. She knew Nat would come out eventually, so she was glad Nat could only see her back. 

"Wanda, it's freez-"

"Don't," Wanda breathed. It was more of a plea than a warning, and she hated how weak her voice sounded. 

"Why not?" Nat asked. Her voice was so composed. She sounded so sure of herself, and Wanda only wished she could have the same effect.

"Because, I-" she didn't even know what to say, pressing her fingers to her head in frustration. She turned to the side, leaning against the railing, still not quite facing Natasha head on, and she breathed out with quick sighs. A small cloud of fog formed every time she exhaled. 

"Because what?" Nat's voice was gentler this time, more open, and at that Wanda's eyes finally looked to hers. Nat stood there with her arms folded, waiting. Waiting for Wanda to realize that she _could._

"Because," she whispered, so quietly that her voice trailed off into nothing the moment she spoke. Because it was unbearable, and she couldn't stand there anymore knowing what she wanted. Her heart beat heavily against her chest as the longing in her eyes grew stronger, as the desperation in her heart suffocated her. She shook her head slowly, trying to convince herself to stop before she did something. But Wanda had waited so long already. 

She turned and walked to Nat, quickly, then held onto her arms. Their faces were so close again, and she couldn't imagine how much of a mess she looked like. She knew the longing in her eyes was obvious, the pain in her face no longer subtle. She watched as Nat's eyes shifted rapidly between each of Wanda's eyes, and occasionally down to Wanda's lips. But Nat's face was so calm, so relaxed and inviting. Wanda couldn't wait anymore. 

She'd practically knocked Natasha against the door as she pressed their lips together, breathing in. Wanda instantly felt sparks fly up her body, spreading to every nerve, every muscle, feeling her heart race again. She watched Nat's eyes close as their lips met, then closed her own, holding their bodies together, savoring every moment. 

Wanda began to pull away, breathing hard but soft against Nat's skin. She felt a shiver go up her spine when Nat held a steady, warm hand to her cheek, urging her to continue.

Wanda couldn't help but smile as she leaned into the kiss. She had Natasha pressed against the glass of the sliding door, and Natasha's body felt warm against her own. The kiss only grew more heated as they continued, faster, more desperate. They met each other with such force, and each kept pushing harder, fighting to go deeper, hungry for more. Nat took a short moment to breathe, then lowered her face slightly, biting onto Wanda's bottom lip gently. Wanda could feel lightning travel through her chest down to her stomach and let out a deep, breathy sigh, then pressed their lips together again. Nat's quiet, low moaning felt like pure bliss shot straight through her bloodstream, and Wanda craved more. 

When Wanda's mouth opened to take a breath, Nat slipped her tongue in, and Wanda was the one to moan against her lips this time, a quiet, gentle whimper. Nat tasted like cherries, and Wanda was instantly addicted. Her stomach twisted into a knot as Nat's tongue explored further, carefully, curiously, trying not to go too fast. Wanda pushed into Nat too, slowly, delving deeper, tasting their tongues together and feeling the wetness of Nat's lips on her own. Her hands were in Natasha's hair, and Natasha had raised her other hand so that she was holding both sides of Wanda's face. The electricity in her stomach only grew stronger as their tongues moved against each other, lips crashing until they were swollen, bodies hot from the speed. 

They broke away but held their faces together, breathing against each other, deeply and slowly. Nat lowered her head to kiss Wanda's neck. It was gentle and much softer than the kiss they'd just shared, and Wanda shivered against her touch, her smile growing as she caught her breath. She couldn't help the small whimpers that escaped her throat, the desperate moans for more. 

Nat pulled away again, slowly, leaning her head against Wanda's.

"Was that your first kiss?"

Wanda's eyes opened for the first time in a while, and she couldn't help but laugh against Nat's lips. "What? No, we kissed before in the-"

"No, first _real_ kiss," Nat smiled, breath still heavy. "That one doesn't count."

"Why, was I bad?"

"No, that was... probably one of the best, if I'm being honest. That's why I'm wondering, because I didn't think you'd get out much with Hydra, and-"

"Yes," Wanda smiled too. "Then it was my first." 

Nat finally looked up into Wanda's eyes. "Think you'll be able to sleep now, then?"

Wanda laughed, maybe too loud in the quiet of the night. "Yeah," she responded, and Nat pulled her into a hug. She ran her fingers down Wanda's back, and Wanda pressed her nose into Nat's neck. Nat pulled Wanda's hoodie back over her head, which must have fallen loose during the kiss. Before it got too cold, she guided Wanda back inside and they climbed back into bed, Wanda's arms around Nat as they slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written anything like this before, but I hope you enjoyed! Wanda putting on a hoodie was meant to be a parallel to her trying to close off her feelings for Nat by covering herself up. She was trying to hide it because she was almost certain Nat didn't feel the same. Honestly, Nat wasn't 100% sure how she felt, but she was willing to give it a shot. She's not as emotionally open as Wanda is, and she's much better at concealing her emotions. But since day 1 she's felt drawn to Wanda, and she couldn't really explain why either.
> 
> Oh also, this all actually happens in case you were confused by "fantasy" in the chapter title! The title is meant to portray how Wanda feels. For a while she can't believe this night actually happened. 
> 
> Thanks for reading Chapter 7!


	8. Quiet Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning, Wanda wakes up with Natasha by her side. She's still getting used to the fact that she's not dreaming, and that Nat actually kissed her back.

Wanda's eyes fluttered open the next morning. She squinted as she stretched her arms, adjusting to the glow of sunlight that slipped through her open window. As she extended her arms, her fingers brushed against bare skin. 

When her vision settled, Natasha was already looking at her, green eyes calm as she breathed out quietly. Wanda realized her hand was draped over Nat's body, and their legs were pressed together under the bedsheets. She took her eyes away from Natasha's to look at her hand on top of Nat's side, brushing her finger against Nat's skin to make sure this was all real. That she hadn't dreamt what'd happened the night before. That Nat was really here. 

Her hand trailed down Nat's back, then up again, tracing a line across her skin and stopping when she reached Nat's ribs. Natasha had her hands curled up by her face, unmoving. It was almost unsettling how quiet she was when Wanda looked into her eyes again, how soft Nat's breathing was as she stared. 

"How long have you been awake?" Wanda finally broke the silence, her voice hushed, strained from sleep. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she held Nat's gaze.

"A while," Nat's lips stretched into a small smile, and her eyes finally drifted away from Wanda's, trailing down to Wanda's lips. 

Despite herself, Wanda still felt nervous, afraid of messing this up now that she had it. "What are you doing?" She tried her best to stay still, leveling out her breathing so her panic wouldn't be too noticeable. 

Nat's head moved forward just slightly. Her eyes drifted to each part of Wanda's face, studying the details of her skin, the color of her eyes, the rate of her breathing. She stayed quiet for a while. "I'm looking at you," she finally responded. Her voice was so smooth, so comforting, so quiet, and as Wanda blinked, she found it hard to believe this was actually happening. 

Nat's expression suddenly became serious, so abruptly that Wanda's heart raced again, wondering what had happened. But Nat reached her hand out to hold Wanda's face, stroking the side of her cheek and tracing a line down to Wanda's chin. She found it so much harder to breathe now, found it hard to focus on a single thought when her mind was racing like this, with Nat's fingers so lightly brushing against her skin. She was captivated. Entranced by the glow in Nat's eyes, the sun on her skin, awestruck by how perfect it all felt. 

"You're so pretty," she whispered, breathing out quietly. She almost wished she hadn't said it, but not because she didn't mean it. She was afraid she was moving too fast, afraid she'd push away the best thing she'd ever had.

But Nat smiled again, leaning forward to kiss her. The tension in Wanda's shoulders melted away as she pulled herself closer, and she knew she would never get over the rush she felt every time Nat's lips met her own, the way they felt so soft against each other. The heat of Nat's body seemed to warm them both. Nat's hand cupped the side of Wanda's face, and they held each there for a long moment, lips, noses, bodies touching as they breathed each other in. 

They pulled away, lips parted, and Wanda could feel her heart pounding against her chest again, listening as the thudding grew stronger when Nat's hand slipped down to her neck. Her fingers moved so slowly, so smoothly as they slid down to Wanda's collarbones, down to her shoulders. It was the first time Wanda realized she wasn't wearing a shirt. Neither of them were, and she couldn't even remember when that'd happened, but she felt sheltered under Nat's touch. Nat stroked patterns on her skin, her eyes following the movement of her fingers. 

"You're really pretty, too," Nat whispered, eyes strong, expression soft. Her face was serious again, and Wanda couldn't bring herself to look away. She wanted to say a million things at once - how afraid she was of losing this, how scared she was that Nat didn't feel as strongly about Wanda as Wanda felt about her, how much she loved this, how excited she was, how desperate she was, how _addicted_ she was. Addicted to her touch, her closeness, her taste, her laugh. 

She stared into the sea of Natasha's eyes and tried to imagine what it would feel like to wake up every day like this. Nat next to her every morning, their bodies pressed together, hands on each other's faces, lips touching. She wished they never had to leave this bed, wished they could stay forever. Nat continued to trace her finger on Wanda's shoulder, and it made her feel _crazy._ She craved so much more, so many more moments like this. 

"I really like this," Wanda said, carefully, slowly. Conscious enough not to use the word _love_ yet. She swallowed before continuing. "And I didn't even think you'd..." She began to trail off, but she could tell from the way Nat's eyes shifted between hers that she wanted to know. "I didn't think you liked me back." 

Nat laughed quietly, and her hand dropped down onto the bed again, searching for Wanda's arm. "I do like you. I like you a lot." She said it with a smile so perfect that Wanda could feel her heart swelling until it ached. It all felt like a dream, and she still couldn't believe any of this was real. 

"I'm just afraid," Wanda admitted, finally willing herself to speak. "I'm afraid I won't know what to do, or the right things to say, or-"

She was stopped when Nat's hand grabbed her own.

"Hey," Nat said, offering a reassuring smile, squeezing Wanda's hand. "We'll take this one day at a time." Nat brought Wanda's hand up to her face, kissing it quietly.

Three words hung at the tip of Wanda's tongue, and she wanted so desperately to speak them into existence, but she knew it was too soon. She cried them out in her heart instead, afraid that Natasha already knew just from the look in her eyes alone.

"We should probably get ready," Nat had laced her fingers with Wanda's, and held their hands close to her face.

"I don't want to go out there," Wanda whispered. "I want to stay here with you."

Nat smiled again when she looked at her. "15 minutes," she muttered, then tucked her face under Wanda's chin as she wrapped her arms around Wanda's body. She kissed the edge of Wanda's collarbone, breathing softly against her chest. Wanda smiled to herself, and buried her hand in Nat's hair. They were both sharing one pillow, and Wanda held onto Nat as if she was all she had in the world. 

"Why don't we go out for dinner this week?" Nat mumbled against her skin. Wanda felt herself shivering at the sensation, like a wave moving up her spine.

"What?" She couldn't help feeling stunned. 

"I'm asking you out," she could feel Nat smile on her skin. Nat tucked her hand under Wanda's side, fingers wrapped around her stomach.

"I would love that," Wanda smiled, too.

"We should go on more missions together too, right?" 

Wanda's smile kept growing. "That too." She moved her head down just slightly to kiss Nat's hair, breathing in her smell, and they stayed there, wrapped around each other as the sunlight warmed the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this one, but I hope you enjoyed! Both of them are new to relationships. Neither of them have been in a romantic one before, or at least not a serious one. Wanda's very aware of the fact that she's in love (she has been for a while now), and it scares her that Nat isn't at that step yet. Nat is trying her best with the pacing. Wanda's her best friend, and she's already loved her for a long time, even if she's not ready to admit that out loud. 
> 
> Thanks for reading Chapter 8, and Happy New Year!


End file.
